The fall in global energy prices in 2016, coupled with a steady reduction of crude oil production, have contributed to a sharp decline in Government’s revenue.
With little money in it’s coffers, several mega-projects which started under the People’s Partnership government, including construction of over a dozen primary and secondary schools, all remain incomplete.
Given that the energy sector remains the lifeline of the T&T economy, its no surprise that the only mega-construction project which remains on stream is the $6.3 billion Caribbean Gas Chemical Ltd (CGCL) plant in La Brea.
Some of the mega-projects which remain incomplete:
SOLOMON HOCHOY HIGHWAY EXTENSION PROJECT
The $7.4 billion Solomon Hochoy Highway extension project started in March 2011 and is 49 per cent complete. Designed to connect the city of San Fernando at Golconda to the southern towns of Debe, Penal, Siparia, Fyzabad, La Brea and Point Fortin, the highway was initially awarded to Brazilian construction giant Construtora OAS but was never completed after the company went bankrupt.
In January, 1,000 OAS workers were laid off without being paid outstanding wages and severance payments.
In February, 60 plus contractors hired by OAS protested outside the company’s headquarters in Golconda, saying they were owed in excess of US$40 million.
On May 25, the contract came to an end and angry workers threatened to burn down OAS property if they were not paid.
By September, NIDCO, the project manager, invited tenders to resume the highway and several private contractors took OAS to court demanding their outstanding payments.
The company’s assets including vehicles and construction material were auctioned off in November.
CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL
Situated on a 60-acre expanse of Caroni lands, $1 billion the Couva Children’s Hospital and Training Centre remains unoccupied.
Meant to be the hub of medical tourism in the Caribbean, the facility is now overgrown with weeds. In August, the facility was handed over by Chinese firm Shanghai Construction Group to UDeCOTT. Following a tour of the facility, UDeCOTT chairman Noel Garcia said a Request For Proposals (RFP) was issued so the hospital can open its doors through a public/private partnership. A bio-medical engineer was given the task to ensure that all equipment were protected and functioning. An inventory was created and each item was tagged. Security measures were also put into place to ensure there was no unauthorised removal of the equipment.
THE BEETHAM WASTE WATER TREATMENT PLANT
The Beetham Waste Water Treatment Plant is 60 per cent complete. Rigged with controversy, the plant has been the subject of scrutiny by the Government. In May, a Joint Select Committee meeting of Parliament conducted an investigation into the National Gas Company and was informed that a total of $943.7 million had been expended on the Beetham Waste Water Treatment project for 2015. NGC entered the contract with Super Industrial Services (SIS) Ltd in March 10, 2014, at a cost of US$162,055,318.77 to build the plant but in November 2015, the contract was terminated. SIS indicated that it could not complete the works even though it was paid over $780 million.
UNIVERSITY OF THE WEST INDIES SOUTH CAMPUS (PENAL/DEBE)
Building works at the $.5 billion University of the West Indies south campus in Debe is 80 per cent complete. Since the construction began in September 2013, a total of $511 million has been spent on the project. Outfitting of all buildings, external fixtures and external works are 50 per cent complete. The campus was supposed to be ready for the academic year 2015/2016. However, UWI principal Prof Brian Copeland said there were problems with the contractor, China Jaingsu International Economic Technical Corp, which he did not wish to disclose. The project is now expected to be completed by year’s end.
POINT FORTIN HOSPITAL
Nineteen months after the sod was turned by former prime minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar, the construction of the $1.2 billion Point Fortin Hospital has finally started. It was a project promised since the days of the late Prime Minister Eric Williams.
It is being funded through a government-to-government arrangement with Austria and the main contractor is an Austrian firm Vamed Engineering GmbH & CO KG. The hospital is expected to be completed by August 2017.
ARIMA HOSPITAL
Expected to be completed in June 2018, construction of the $1.2 billion Arima hospital started in June this year and is about 20 per cent complete. Arima MP Anthony Garcia said the site is barricaded and he was eagerly anticipating the opening of the promised institution.
PENAL FIRE STATION
Construction on the $71 million Penal Fire Station is under way and expected to be completed by August 30, next year. The project is 35 per cent complete, according to Roxanne Stapleton-Whyms, media coordinator of UDeCOTT.Work began under the previous People’s Partnership government one month before the 2015 general election.
SHIVA BOYS’ & PARVATI GIRLS’ HINDU COLLEGES (PENAL)
Both schools situated at Clarke Road, Penal are 70 per cent complete. However, because of a non-payment of funds, the contractor has stopped works.
In an interview, Education Minister Anthony Garcia said a number of primary and secondary schools are still incomplete because of lack of funding.